The term RoHS (Restriction on the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) refers to the European Union’s Directive 2002/95/EU.

Various other states, including China, the USA, Japan and South Korea, exercise similar controls on materials, covering banned substances, restrictions on use and exceptions,. The primary concern for the electrical industry is the complete prohibition of the use of lead in electrical and electronic equipment. To date there have existed a raft of exclusions to the ban. As technical standards advance, the aim is to reduce these step by step, and introduce further material prohibitions.

The individual member states of the EU were called upon to adopt the Directive into their national legislature. In Germany the restrictions were covered by the so-called law on electrical and electronic equipment.

The aims of the Directive are to improve public health and environmental protection, and to homogenize the various individual state controls, thereby removing barriers to trade and competition.

PFARR continues to offer a range of lead-free and lead-bearing alloys. All materials are alloyed to individual customer requirements. PFARR had already made lead-free alloys available many years prior to the introduction of the restrictions; and these have proven themselves to be reliable, continuously high-quality products. As before, various lead-bearing alloys are also available from PFARR. Customers determine themselves whether lead alloys are permitted in the application concerned.

	directive 2002 95 EC
	directive 2002 96 EC
	directive 2005 747 EC
	directive 2006 310 EC
	directive 2006 690 EC
	directive 2006 691 EC
	directive 2008 35 EC